Combustion chamber



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United States Patent 3,134,229 CGNEUSTION CHAMBER Robert H. .lohnson,Schenectady, N.Y., assignor to genital Electric Company, a corporationof New Filed Oct. 2, 1%1, Ser. No. 142,183

9 Claims. (Cl. oil-39.65)

This invention relates to combustion chambers andmore particularly to anannular combustion chamber including a plurality of vortex air admissiongenerators. More specifically, this invention relates to an improvedmethod and apparatus for burning of fuel in a jet engine combustionchamber which utilizes, in conjunction with a vortex generator, discreteair flow patterns and controlled combustion in these patterns. I

This application is a continuation-in-part application of copendingapplication Serial No. 788,399, Johnson, filed January 22, 1959, now US.Patent 3,036,773 and assigned to the same assignee as the presentinvention. The afore-,

mentioned copending application is, in turn, a continua-- tion-in-partapplication of copending application Serial No. 310,186, Johnson, filedSeptember 18, 1952, now abandoned, and assigned to the same assignee asthe present invention.

A combustion chamber, especially for jet engine application or otherhigh speed flight applications, is subjected to different environmentalconditions and must overcome various disadvantageous problems associatedwith these conditions. For example, such a combustion chamber isgenerally positioned within a fastmoving gasstrearn and must provide notonly ignition of fuel in such a fast-moving gas stream, but alsocontinuation of the com bustion process and full combustion in arelatively short period of transit time. I

With the advent of still higher jet flight speeds, more power output perunit volume of combustion chamber, and more economy, substantial effortsare being expended to provide corresponding combustion chambers.However, the basic features of air delivery and fuel combustion becomemore complicated because of the necessity of providing more air in thecombustion chamber at higher velocities while still attempting toprovide optimum ignition, combustion and cooling characteristics. Thisin turn requires control over the incoming air for regulated airpatterns and areas of low air velocities. In a can or tube combustionchamber, air control is better achieved because its entry is providedover 360 or the entire periphcry of the tube. A jet engine, for example,generally employs a plurality of such tubes arranged circumferentiallyabout and concentric and parallel to a common axis of the engine. Forvarious reasons including economy, compactness, general spacelimitations, and efficiency, an annular type combustion chamber isdesirable. An annular combustion chamber will provide far morecombustion volume than the equivalent plural can arrangement, but airadmission and general combustion control is more difficult because thereis less area to provide air admission, and far more interference todiscrete air flow patterns and combustion processes.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improvedcombustion chamber.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved annularcombustion chamber.

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It is another object of this invention to provide improved air admissionmeans for annular combustion chambers.

It is another object of this invention to provide improved combustioncharacteristics in an annular combustion chamber.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a combination ofcontrolled air flow patterns and combustion process within a combustionchamber.

It is another object of this invention to provide vortical generators inan annular combustion chamber to provide better mixing, burning, andcombustion control.

It is another object of this invention to provide vortical generators ina can-type combustion chamber to provide better mixing, burning, andcombustion control.

[These and other objects of this invention will be better understoodwhen taken in connection with the following description and the drawingsin which:

PEG. 1 is a cross sectional view, partial, of a preferred embodiment ofan annular combustion chamber utilizing a vortical generator therein;

FIG. 2 is a partial elevational and cross sectional view of thecombustion chamber of FIG. 1 taken on the line 2-2;

FIG. 3 is a modification of the embodiment of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is another modification of the embodiment of FIG. 1.

Briefly described, this invention comprises a combustion chamberutilizing an air vortex generator in conjunction therewith and moreparticularly an annular combustion chamber having a circumferential rowof vortexair generators'in the closed end thereof. Fuel is introducedinto the vortices developed with a limited amount of air to comr'nenceignition, and the remaining air necessary for combustion is introducedthrough perforations in the chamber. The arrangement provides an airflow and combustion pattern which includes a film of cooling airadjacent the walls of the annular combustion chamber, and a toroidalpattern of a burning fuel-air mixture about a centrallow pressure coredeveloped by thevortex generator. A substantial portion of the fuel isburned in the toroidal configuration and less than the total amount ofair necessary for combustion is injected through the vortex airgenerators. The remainder of the air necessary for combustion isintroduced into the liner portion of the chamber through openingstherein.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is illustrated an annular combustionchamber 10 which generally includes a perforated annular liner 11positioned concentrically within an annular casing 12. Annular liner 11includes a closed head end 13 and open exhaust end 14 and is positionedso that air flow through casing 12 moves from the head end 13 of liner11 to exhaust end 14. Head end13 includes a circumferential row of fuelinjection nozzle openings 15 to receive fuel nozzles 16 to supply fuelto the liner. Passageway 17, in jet engine applications, receives airfrom a compressor which passes into the perforated liner for fuel airmixing and combustion. One of the most desirable aspects of such acombustion chamber is that it have a high heat release per unit volumeso that the amount of fuel injected may be minimized, and all of thefuel entering the burner is effectively burned for maximum combustionefliciency.

Commensurate with the combustion efiiciency of such a burner, is the airflow pattern developed within a burner during the combustion process.The problem of igniting and sustaining combustion has generally beenovercome in jet engine combustors by providing a restricted portion ofthe chamber 18 where the introduced air and fuel may be properly mixedfor combustion purposes, and to thereafter provide a portion 19 of theburner with conditions which favor maximum combustion, such conditionsincluding, additional air delivery into the combustion process ortemperature regulation and chamber wall cooling. Therefore, air deliveryinto a combustion chamber has been generally described as primary airand secondary air, the primary air being the major amount of air whichis initially mixed with the fuel for the combustion process, and thesecondary air being a minor amount of air introduced at other portionsof the combustion chamber in order to provide proper cooling of thechamber walls and the additional air necessary to regulate thecombustion process. In this invention a preferred form of air deliveryis for the primary or major portion of air to enter the liner and thesmaller amount or secondary air enter the head end or restrictively inother portions of the liner. This arrangement provides a reverse floweffect.

A particular example of a combustion chamber incorporating theseconcepts is that disclosed and claimed in U.S. Patent 2,601,000, Nerad.The Nerad combustion chamber describes a basic type of air flow orpattern in a combustion chamber. More particularly, the can or tubechamber comprises a tubular structure having one closed end throughwhich a fuel nozzle projects to admit fuel axially into the chamber. Thechamber is of the perforate type having a plurality of particularlypositioned and sized circumferential rows of openings therein. Thecombustion chamber is positioned concentrically Within a casing, and airfrom the annular plenum defined thereby is introduced through opposedholes in the liner which are directed towards the center line thereof.Opposite flows of incoming air impinge at the center line to thereafterreverse, i.e., to have a portion flow towards the head end of thecombustion chamber. The How pattern thus obtained is extremely favorableto proper fuel air mixing and zones of reduced air velocities areprovided which favor the combustion process. Increasing requirements ofjet engine combustors include higher efiiciencies, higher heat releaseper unit volume commensurate with economical operation with respect tofuel and reduced costs and space requirements. The above requirementsare favored by an improved combustion chamber in accordance with thisinvention which involves utilizing the principles of air delivery of theNerad patent together with complementary vortical air generators. Thisarrangement is adapted to annular combustion chambers particularly.Accordingly, the disclosure of the US. Patent 2,601,000, Nerad, isincorporated by reference herewith.

It is obvious that in order to achieve the Nerad flow pattern togetherwith maximum combustion, maximum heat release, and maximum fuel economy,not only must sufficient air be admitted into such a liner but the airmust be admitted in such a manner as to commence and sustain propercombustion throughout the combustion chamber While not deterring theNerad flow pattern. It has been discovered that an improved combustionchamber is obtained by maintaining the Nerad effect and complementing itwith a vortical air generator and discrete air flows.

Air admission is a critical feature. Comparing the annular combustionchamber, FIG. 1, with a can-type combustion chamber, for example, acan-type as illustrated in FIG. 1 of the Nerad patent, each can or tubeis provided with a plurality of circumferential rows of openingsextending a full 360 about the periphery of each can to provide therequired amount of air. In

the annular type combustion chamber, it is obvious that the same numberof circumferential rows of openings about the annulus does not provideequivalent amount of air through the combustion chamber. Merely makinglarger or more openings does not equate the difference since asdescribed in the Nerad patent these openings must be predicated on theamount of pressure delivered to the combustion chamber by the compressorand the amount of air flow so that the holes can be properly sized toprovide optimum jets of air entering the combustion chamber to impingeupon themselves and to provide the reverse flow air as described. In thesame respect, providing large openings in the head on closed end 13would only defeat the reverse air pattern since these openings wouldprovide large quantities of air at high velocity directly into thereverse pattern and prevent its formulation. It has been discovered thatthe use of vortical air generators 20 in the head end 13 of the annularcombustion chamber 10 will provide a millcient quantity of air in thecombustion chamber, while at the same time sustaining and complementingthe reverse flow and also providing a discrete flow pattern in whichlarge amounts of fuel may be burned.

A vortical generator 20 is best described with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2.In FIG. 1, vortical generator 20 comprises a cup-shaped body or shell 21having vanes 22 extending therefrom. Generally, these vanes 22 arestruck from the body 21 so that the vanes define air openings 23 intothe body. As air passes axially across body 21, it is caused to pass bythrough vanes 22 and into openings 23 in a tangential manner to providea swirling motion or vortical movement of the air proceeding out of thegenerator and into liner 11. The word tangential is employed to describethe direction given the air entering or passing through vanes 22 ofgenerator 20. Since the outer circumference of generator 20 defines anassumed circle from which vanes 22 extend, the entering air is given awhirling motion, the direction of which may be said to be nearlytangential to this assumed circle. Broadly speaking, vortex generatorsare known in the art and may take various forms, such as the body 21being conical, frustoconical, hemispherical, etc., and plane, curved ordished vanes depending into the body or extending externally thereof.Furthermore, openings 23 may be in the form of slots or circles, forexample. The importance given to the vortical generator is directed toits location and the use rather than to its specific structure.

Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown a sectional and elevation view ofthe annular combustion chamber 10 of FIG. 1. In FIG. 2, a plurality ofvortex generators 20 are positioned in the head end of liner 11 inequidistant relationship about the periphery thereof. In one operativeembodiment of this invention, 32 vortical generators 20 are employed. Apreferred fuel delivery in this arrangement is by means of a fuel nozzle16 in each opening 15 for each generator 20. The fuel nozzles 16 may beof various types well known in the art to deliver a conical spray offuel axially into the combustion chamber. The conical fuel spray shouldnot be diverging to the extent that it interferes or impinges on thevortex generator nor be in a thin stream. Generally, a or less coneangle provides good results. In a high air velocity burner where transittime is reduced, rapid fuel air mixing must take place together with ahigh rate of combustion near the head end of the combustion chamber.Fuel injection into the vortical movement of the air from the vortexgenerators causes fuel particles to be taken up by the vortical movementof air for good'mixing and distribution throughout the turbulentwhorling air mass. Ignition of the fuel is commenced by well knownignition devices such as. sparking devices placed generally in thevicinity of closed end 13.

Referring again to FIG. 1, the burning or combustion characteristics aredependent on the: establishment of discrete air fiow patterns developedby the combination of air vortex generators and the Nerad liner 1]..Liner 11 includes a plurality of circumferential rows of openings 24 and25 about the outer periphery and 26 and 27 about the inner periphery. Asa modification of the Nerad liner, the mentioned openings are providedwith lip or channel surfaces 28 which provide directional stability toair passing therethrough.

As heretofore described, the vortex generators 20 provide a vorticalmovement of fuel and air into the liner. At the same time, air enteringthe liner from the first and second row of holes 24 and 26, enters asdiscrete streams which impinge at the center line. The vortical movementof air from generator 20 contains a low pressure core into which theflow of air from the impinging streams proceeds as indicated by arrows29 .and 30. As pressure is rising in the vortex, the fuel air mixture isbeing thrown outwardly into the annular spaces 31 and 32 surrounding thevortical movement of air of all generators. This provides forcedrotating bands or toroids 33 and 34 of a burning fuel air mixture whichare maintained in position and wherein a large amount of fuel is burned.Toroids 33 and 34 are an important combustion feature which locks thecombustion process in the head end of liner 11, provides a high rate ofturbulence, heat transfer, fuel air mixing, and combustion, in arelatively short period of time. Toroids 33 and 34 become a singletoroid encircling or concentric with the vertical mass of air emanatingfrom a vortex generator in a can-type burner. In the annular combustionchamber, two segmental toroids or bands are developed. For example,toroid 33 extends circumferentially about the annular chamber adjacentthe outer wall. Toroid 34 therefor also extends circumferentially aboutthe annular chamber adjacent the inner wall. The two toroids .33 and 34are concentric with each other framing the row of vortex generatorstherebetween. A circumferential row of small slot openings 35 areemployed to provide a film of cool air adjacent the wall of liner 11 forcooling purposes. These slots 35 also add air to the toroid feature.Such film cooling is prevalent in the art and is further illustrated byslots 36 which provide film cooling of the liner as is well known in theart.

Certain overall requirements are necessary to provide the combustioncharacteristics as described. Insofar as generators 20 are concerned,the air passing therethrough must, of course, be limited so that no airescapes through the first row of openings 24 and 26 in liner 11. In thisinvention even more drastic limitations are imposed. For example,considering stoichiometric combustion, less than half the air necessarypasses through generators 20. By the same token, more than half theairnecessary for combustion passes through liner openings 24, 25, 26 and27. More specifically, a preferred operation limits the air passingthrough generators 20 to from about to 20% of that necessary forcombustion; otherwise, the toroidal burning and reverse fiow arelimitedor so severely diminished that the overall efficiency of the burner issubstantially less than optimum. By the same token, this limitationapplies to the head end or portion 13 of the liner 11.

No other openings are provided adjacent or near the vortex generatorsbecause of the resultant effect on the described flow patterns. Theminor exceptions are the small circumferential slots 35 which areemployed primarily to provide a film of cooling air along the liner 11walls without interfering with the established patterns.

The combustion thus described is with respect to an annular combustionchamber although from this description, its application to can-typecombustion chambers is self-evident. In the annular combustion chamberthe teachings of this invention provide the addition of a large amountof air in the head end of a combustion chamber in an effective mannerfor increased performance. ,At the same time, the requirements of rapidfuel air mixing and burning are more fulfilled.

Fuel air mixing is further benefited by the placing of 6 generators 20adjacent each other as illustrated in FIG. 2. The air streams emanatingfrom adjacent generators are caused to impinge on each other with greatdegree of shearing action and consequent good fuel air mixingcharacteristics.

FIGS. 1 and 2 relate to a practical embodiment of this invention asutilized to provide propulsive power in turbojet engines. An exemplarycombustion chamber follows the general proportions illustrated in FIGS.1 and 2 with more salient features as set forth in the following table:

Table I Type fuel nozzle -1 dual-cone. Spray angle at S.L.S. /80. Typespray hollow cone. lb./hr. per nozzle S.L.S 666. b S.L.S 98.5%. Heatrelease B.t.u./hr. S.L.S 389x10 Liner volume (in?) 13276. Liner O.D38.36. Liner I.D 25.66". Liner length from fuel nozzle 23.75".

#nozzles 32. Pressure loss 5 /26%. Space rate (B.t.u./hr.ft. /atm.) 6x101 S.L.S Sea level static 2 1 b combustion efiiciency.

In addition, the first three rows of holes 24 each comprise 32 equallyspaced holes of 1 inch diameter, the rows being about 2 inches apart oncenters. The lasttwo rows of holes 25 each comprise 32 equally spacedholes of 0.86 inch diameter with the same axial spacing. The rows ofopenings 26 are similar to those of 24 and the openings 27 are similarto those of 25. Openings 25 of liner 11 have their center lines togetherwith their channels or lips 28 tilted at a slight angle to the centerline of liner 11 towards the closed end of liner 11 to furthercomplement the reverse flow characteristics of liner 11. Liner 11includes an upwardly curving lower surface37 so that the openings 25therein are evenmore angled or tilted. In the embodiment as describedair from a compressor, for example, enters passage 17 to fiow into thedefined plenum 38 and then into liner 11 through openings 24, 25, 26 and27, primarily. Air flow into generators 20 is controlled by a ductmember 39.

Air flow through generators 20 comprise about 11% of W, i.e., the totalflow from the compressor. Flow through the head end including slots 35is about 5% of W. Flow from the first row of holes which recirculates isabout 3 /2% of W. I

FIG. 3 relates to a further operative embodiment of this invention.Referring to FIG. 3, the basic features follow those of FIG. 1 with theexception of the more salient features as given in Table II.

Table II Type fuel nozzle dual-cone. Spray angle at S.L.S 90. Type sprayhollow cone. lb/hr. per nozzle S.L.S 225. 1 b S.L.S 97.0%. Heat releaseB.t.u./ hr. S.L.S 49 x10 Liner volume (in?) 1013. Liner O.D 15.4,8".Liner LD 9.06". Liner length from fuel nozzle 9.16". nozzles 12.Pressure loss 6-7% Space rate (B.t.u./hr./ft. /atm. 12X 10 Vortical airgenerators 40 are each about 1.65 inches OD. and about.0.9 inch wide andare circumferentially equally spaced in closed end 41. Thecircumferenceof each generator 40 includes 10 equally spaced louvers 42 struck fromthe circumference and providing tangential openings of about inch inlengthvand 0.08 inch in thickness. Liner 43 openings on the outerperiphery include three rows of openings 44 and four rows of openings45. Openings 44 have a diameter of about 0.530 inch and the center lineof the first row of openings is about 3 inches from the back vortexgenerators 20. Openings 45 are about 0.580 inch in diameter and thecenter line of the last row is about 7.56 inches from the back of vortexgenerators 20. All openings are spaced equidistant axially on center.Liner 43 openings on the inner periphery include three rows of openings46 and three rows of openings 47. Center lines are the same as the outerrows. Openings 46 are about 0.75 inch in diameter and openings 47 about0.530 inch in diameter. Louver openings 48 are positioned at theintersection of diagonals between any four adjacent openings and providerectangular openings. Louver openings 49 are positioned like louveropenings 48 and also provide rectangular openings.

A further embodiment of this invention is illustrated in FIG. 4.Referring to FIG. 4, there is shown a cantype or cannular typecombustion chamber 50 comprising an outer casing 51, an inner perforatedtapered Nerad type liner 52 and a radial wall structure 53 which closesone end of casing 51. Wall structure 53 includes a wall member 54 havinga vortex generator 55 centrally disposed therein and a fuel nozzle 56 insaid generator 55. Vortex generator 55 is similar to those generators 20of FIGS. 1 and 2, having minor modifications in vaneor louver design.Generator 55 comprises a cup-shaped housing 57 from which vanes 58depend. About the internal periphery of housing 57 the vanes 58 dependinwardly and are adjusted to a converging angle to thus definepassageways through which primary air is admitted into generator 55. Theangle of the vanes 58 is arranged to direct the incoming air along apath which is nearly tangential to produce the swirling motion of avortex into which the fuel is injected as described with relation toFIG. 1. Vanes 58 have been described as being adjusted to a convergingangle. Such a converging angle is inclusive in a preferred form of thisinvention of a pair of angles. For example, good results have beenobtained with a generator 55 in accordance with the teachings of thisinvention where each vane 58 is inclined at an angle from about to 25from the tangential direction of the assembled circle which is theperiphery of housing 57. In addition, a preferred form of thismodification includes the feature that individual adjacent pairs ofvanes 58 define a converging nozzle or passage. Vanes spacing, i.e., theclosest distance between adjacent vanes at the converging portion hasbeen varied over a wide range of up to A of an inch or greater. In oneform of this invention a generator 55 has a circle diameter ofapproximately 2% inches from which vanes 58 have been bent inwardly fromthe circle, each of said vanes being along its radial lengthapproximately of an inch and inclined at an angle of 25, together withan end spacing between adjacent blades of of an inch. By this means, thesharp velocity gradient of the rotating mass of air breaks up thestreams of fuel into fine particles which migrate outwardly due tocentrifugal forces. This mixture of fuel and primary air is readilyignitible and is carried forward by the axial component of the motion ofthe air in a substantially vortical manner into the combustion chamber.

Wall structure 53 as illustrated has been effectively employed in acombustion chamber. Under adverse conditions, burning was effective anda forced rotating toroid 59 of burning fuel air mixture was definitelyestablished adjacent wall 54 which effectively locked or maintained thecombustion process in position. The aforementioned and illustratedparticular flow pattern of a rotating toroid surrounding a vorticalmoving air mass is definitely established, because unless a fluid isdirected or forced it will flow as a free vortex. Thus, the airexpanding out of generator 55 forms vortices which take on a free vortexvelocity distribution whereby the velocities at the inner boundaries ofthe vortices will be higher than at the outer boundaries. Thecorresponding pressures which are inversely proportional to thevelocities squared will be lower at the inner boundaries of the vorticesthan at the outer boundaries of the vortices.

The juncture of liner 52 with wall 54 provides a sheltered area. Wall 54also includes openings 60 so proportioned as to provide the desireddivision of air entering the liner through generator 55 and openings 61of liner 52. During burner operation, the combustion provides a toroid59 of a burning fuel air mixture in which a large percentage of fuel isburned, and which constitutes an important feature of the wholecombustion process.

Accordingly, it is understood that by means of this invention, theoptimum features of a Nerad combustion chamber are utilized, but at thesame time, improved and complemented by vortex generator air delivery.The combination provides optimum and controlled combustion irl discreteair fuel patterns. It is important to note that the toroid patternsdeveloped are fully developed for fuel burning and that these patternsare not just eddies but forced rotating masses, rotating in the oppositesense as applied to fluid eddies. It is further important to note thatthis combination not only provides for a substantial amount of fuel tobe burned in the toroid mass but also serves hold or maintains thecomplete combustion process closer to the head end. Thus, where transittime is very short, more time is given to the combustion process formore complete combustion. The toroidal pattern in all modifications isprovided for by predetermined sheltered and defined areas, bypredetermined air flow patterns.

While a specific method and apparatus in accordance with this inventionhas been shown and described, it is not desired that the invention belimited to the particular description nor to the particularconfigurations illustrated, and it is intended by the appended claims tocover all modifications within the spirit and scope of this invention.

What I claim as new and desire Patent of the United States is:

1. In a closed head end and open exhaust end reverse flow perforatedcombustion chamber liner wherein a portion of the entering air from theperforations flows in an upstream direction towards the closed end, theimprovement comprising, an air vortex generator in said closed endadapted to provide a vortical movement of air in said chamber linerflowing in opposition to said portion of air flowing towards said closedend so that the low pressure core of said vortical air movement receivessaid upstream flow, vaned opening means in said air vortex generatorproviding less than one-half the amount of air necessary forstoichiometric combustion, a fuel injector in said air vortex generatorto spray fuel axially into said vortical air movement, and a shelteredarea in said closed end of said combustion chamber in cooperativerelationship to said air movements to provide a band of a fuel-airmixture adjacent said closed end where a substantial portion of the fuelin said combustion chamber is burned.

2. A combustion chamber comprising in combination, a casing, aperforated liner. spaced within said casing, said liner having a closedend and an open end and adapted to provide for the combustion of afuel-air mixture therein to be discharged from said open end, said linerhaving a plurality of predetermined circumferential rows ofpredetermined openings therein spaced from said closed end, means topass combustion air through said openings to provide impinging streamsof air into said liner for an axial flow of air towards said closed end,an air vortex generator in said closed end, said vortex generator havingvaned opening means therein adapted to direct a vortical mass of airinto said liner so that the low pressure core of said vortical mass ofair encompasses to secure by Letters said axial flow of air flowingtowards said closed end, a fuel nozzle concentrically positioned withinsaid vortical air generator to inject fuel axially into said liner sothat fuel is taken up by said vortical air mass and said axial flow toform a band of a fuel-air mixture surrounding said vortical air movementand adjacent said closed end wherein a substantial portion .of the fuelin said chamber is burned, said air vortex generator supplying less thanone-half the air necessary for stoichiometric combustion.

3. A combustion chamber comprising in combination, a tubular linerhaving an open and closed end, said liner adapted for the combustion ofa fuel-air mixture therein the products of which exhaust through saidopen end, said liner having a plurality of predetermined circumferentialrows of predetermined openings therein spaced from said closed end sothat combustion air enters said openings in impinging streams for anaxial flow of air towards the closed end of said liner, an air vortexgenerator in said closed end of said liner to provide a vorticalmovement of air into said liner to encompass in its low pressure coresaid axial air flow, a fuel nozzle positioned coaxially within said airvortex generator to inject fuel into said vortical movement of air sothat the fuel is entrained by said vortical movement of air, vaneopening means on said air vortex generator providing a radial componentof air delivery into said generator limiting the amount of air throughsaid generator to less than about one-half the amount of air necessaryfor stoichiometric combustion, said air vortex generator and said linercombining to provide a band of a fuel-air mixture surrounding said airvortex generator andadjacent said closed end wherein a substantialportion of fuel is burned.

4. An annular combustion chamber comprising in combination an elongatedcasing defining an air passage, a reverse flow closed head end and openexhaust end perforated liner positioned in said casing with said closedend in the upstream position so that a flow of air entering theperforations of said liner meet in impinging streams in said liner tocause a portion thereof to flow in the upstream direction towards saidhead end, an air vortex generator in the head end of said casing toprovide a low pressure core of vortical air movement into said liner toreceive said reverse flow of air in said liner into said low pressurecore, means to inject fuel into the vortical movement of air from saidvortex generator, means to ignite said fuel, said air vortex generator,closed end, and liner, providing a sheltered area in said head endwhereby the flow of fuel and air into said liner is directed to providea burning toroid of fuel-air mixture adjacent said closed end andsurrounding said vortical air movement.

5. An annular combustion chamber liner comprising in combination anannular closed head portion and an annular perforate open end bodyportion extending therefrom, said perforate body portion including aseries of circumferential predetermined rows of predetermined openingsso that when said liner is positioned axially in an air stream flowingfrom the said closed end to the said open end air enters said openingsin impinging streams to provide an axial flow of air towards said closedend, a circumferential row of equally spaced cupshaped air vortexgenerators positioned in said closed head end portion in axialrelationship to the said liner, axially extending vane means definingradially openings in said air vortex generators to provide low pressurecore vortical movements of air into said liner so that said axial fiowof air proceeds into said low pressure cores, means to inject fuel fromsaid air vortex generator axially into said low pressure cores, means toignite said fuel, said air vortex generators, said closed end and saidliner cooperating to provide rotating forced toroidal patterns of afuel-air mixture around said low pressure core, said vane means limitingthe air flowing therethrough to less than it) about one-half thatnecessary for stoichiometric combustion.

6. In a combination chamber positioned in a fastmoving air stream, thecombination comprising, an elongated perforated reverse flow annularliner having a closed head end and an open exhaust end, said linerpositioned in said fast-moving air stream so that air enters said linerthrough the perforationsso that a portion thereof flows axially towardssaid head end, a circumferential row of vortex generators in the headend of said liner and positioned in axial relationship to said liner toprovide vortical movements of air into said liner with low pressurecores so that the reverse air flow in said liner enters said lowpressure cores, said cup shaped air vortex generators including axiallyextending vaned openings in the peripheral wall thereof, said vanedopenings providing for a radial and tangential inlet for the enteringair into said generators, each of said generators being spacedsufiiciently close to an adjacent generator so that the air vorticesemanating from one of said generators radially overlaps with the airvortex emanating from an adjacent generator and shearing action betweenthe air flows takes place in said liner closely adjacent said row ofgenerators, means to inject fuel axially through each generator intosaid liner, means to ignite said fuel, said air vortex generators,closed head end, and liner, cooperating to provide a sheltered area inthe head end thereof whereby the air flow into said liner provides apair of concentric toroidal patterns of a burning fuel-air mixture insaid sheltered area framing said generators, said vane opening means insaid air vortex generator admitting between about 20 to 50 percent ofthe air necessary to provide stoichiometric combustion in saidcombustion chamber.

7. A combustion chamber comprising in combination, a substantiallycylindrical open end casing defining an air flow passage, a radial inletwall structure closing one end of said casing, a cup shaped air vortexgenerator having a closed upstream wall and a peripheral wall havingvaned openings defining tangential air inlets, said generator positionedin said wall structure to provide a rotating vortical pattern of airinto said casing substantially less than that necessary for completecombustion, a fuel nozzle coaxial with said inlet wall structure andprojecting through said closed upstream wall of said air vortexgenerator to inject fuel axially into said rotating vortical airpattern, a perforated tubular liner spaced within and coaxial with saidcasing and joining said radial wall structure, said liner having spacedcircumferential rows of openings longitudinal thereof to provideimpinging streams of air entering said liner a portion of which flows inthe upstream direction, said liner entrance surrounding said air vortexgenerator, said radial Wall structure having openings therein betweenthe said liner juncture and said casing, said radial inlet wallstructure and said perforated liner combining their respective air flowsto generate a forced toroidal burning fuel-air mixture at said junctureabout said vortical air pattern from said air vortex generator, saidopenings in said radial wall and the first row of openings in said linerbeing of a predetermined size to admit combustion air to said toroid tostrengthen and maintain said toroid in its operative relationship.

8. The invention as described in claim 6 wherein said liner tapers froma smaller entrance into a larger exit end.

9. In a jet engine combustion chamber including an axial casing and anaxial liner therein a method of combining a plurality of fuel airpatterns to provide a high space heat release combustion chamber whichconsists of generating an axially moving rotating vortical air mass witha low pressure core and passing through said liner, introducing fuelcentrally and axially of said rotating vortical air mass, maintainingthe quantity of air in said air mass at less than about one-half theamount of air necessary for stoichiometric combustion of said fuel,introducing additional air into said vortical rotating air mass radiallythereof to supply the remainder of air necessary for the combustion ofsaid fuel, correlating the air in said vortical air mass and the saidadditional air so that reverse flow characteristics are provided in saidliner and a portion of said additional air flows up stream into said lowpressure core, said correlation providing a forced toroid of a fuel-airmixture about said vortical rotating air mass at the originating endthereof,

maintaining the individual fuel air patterns distinct throughout thecombustion process, and burning a substantial amount of the introducedfuel in said toroidal pattern.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,930,192 Johnson Mar. 29, 1960 2,974,485 Schiefer Mar. 14, 19612,982,099 Carlisle et al. May 2, 1961

1. IN A CLOSED HEAD END AND OPEN EXHAUST END REVERSE FLOW PERFORATEDCOMBUSTION CHAMBER LINER WHEREIN A PORTION OF THE ENTERING AIR FROM THEPERFORATIONS FLOWS IN AN UPSTREAM DIRECTION TOWARDS THE CLOSED END, THEIMPROVEMENT COMPRISING, AN AIR VORTEX GENERATOR IN SAID CLOSED ENDADAPTED TO PROVIDE A VORTICAL MOVEMENT OF AIR IN SAID CHAMBER LINERFLOWING IN OPPOSITION TO SAID PORTION OF AIR FLOWING TOWARDS SAID CLOSEDEND SO THAT THE LOW PRESSURE CORE OF SAID VORTICAL AIR MOVEMENT RECEIVESSAID UPSTREAM FLOW, VANED OPENING MEANS IN SAID AIR VORTEX GENERATORPROVIDING LESS THAN ONE-HALF THE AMOUNT OF AIR NECESSARY FORSTOICHIOMETRIC COMBUSTION, A FUEL INJECTOR IN SAID AIR VORTEX GENERATORTO SPRAY FUEL AXIALLY INTO SAID VORTICAL AIR MOVEMENT, AND A SHELTEREDAREA IN SAID CLOSED END OF SAID COMBUSTION CHAMBER IN COOPERATIVERELATIONSHIP TO SAID AIR MOVEMENTS TO PROVIDE A BAND OF A FUEL-AIRMIXTURE ADJACENT SAID CLOSED END WHERE A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF THE FUELIN SAID COMBUSTION CHAMBER IS BURNED.